Hillside Home in Japan Cleverly Exhibiting the Owner’s Car Collection

Not too long ago, we published the Car Park House project in Los Angeles, which switches between the common positions of the open-air “garage” and the living spaces. This particular hillside home by architect Kenji Yanagawa in Kurakuen, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan is an interesting Japanese approach to displaying a private car collection. The striking dwelling is carved into the hillside, its narrow footprint reducing the environmental impact.

Since the possibility of building a conventional garage for the Case Study House was excluded (due to the nature of its site), the designers came up with an original solution: a vertical elevator. The owner’s cars- a Ferrari, Porsche and a Honda S2000- are cleverly displayed on this original platform, being visible from inside the house. According to the architects, this vertical abode perfectly blends the physical restrictions of the site with respect for the visual context and the family’s priorities.